Data and Maps

What is geospatial data and GIS?

Geospatial data describes how something occupies or is distributed across space. It typically combines location information (such as latitude and longitude) and attribute information (characteristics of the object, event, or phenomena of interest) with temporal information (time span or period at which the location and attributes exist). Geospatial technology refers to any technology that is used for gathering, manipulating, storing, and presenting geographical information. GIS, geographic information system, is one type of geospatial technology that creates, manages, analyzes, and maps out that data into a visual representation. It is an extremely useful tool that enables individuals and organizations to see, analyze, and understand patterns and relationships among different elements more easily.

EDA Economic or Income Distress

The US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration developed distress criteria to determine census tracts with an unemployment rate at least one percentage point greater than the national average unemployment rate and/or per capita income that is 80 percent or less than the national average per capita income. The EDA bases its determination for per capita requirements upon the most recent American Community Survey (ACS) published by the U.S. Census Bureau Projects and for unemployment rate upon the most recent data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) within the U.S. Department of Labor. Communities located in distress-identified census tracts that pursue EDA funding may have a higher likelihood of receiving an award.

Justice40 and New York State (NYS) Disadvantaged Communities

The Justice40 Initiative seeks to deliver 40% of the overall benefits of certain Federal investments to Disadvantaged Communities. A census tract is considered disadvantaged if they meet the thresholds for at least one of the eight categories of burden: climate change, clean energy and energy efficiency, clean transit, affordable and sustainable housing, reduction and remediation of legacy pollution, critical clean water and wastewater infrastructure, health burdens, and training and workforce development. Communities are considered disadvantaged if they are in census tracts that meet the thresholds for at least one of the tool’s categories of burden, or they are on land within the boundaries of Federally Recognized Tribes.

The NYS Disadvantaged Communities (DACs) Designation, formulated by the Climate Justice Working Group (CJWG), identifies census tracts as DACs based on 45 indicators representing environmental burdens and climate change risks. Each census tract is scored based on a combined score of each indicator and population characteristics and health vulnerabilities. Census tracts with the top 35% of combined scores are considered DACs, as well as tracts that contain federally designated reservation territory or State-recognized Nation-owned land are automatically included as DACs—regardless of percentile ranking on these indicators.

Given that the state and federal government must invest 40% of climate and energy funding to Disadvantaged Communities as mandated by the Justice40 Initiative and Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, including this information where applicable as part of grant applications should be beneficial to the scoring process.

Census Tract - Address Crosswalk

The Census Tract - Address Crosswalk, developed by HVRC using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Stats America, NYSERDA, and U.S. CEQ, is a tool that can be used to locate a project’s census tract and determine if that census tract has been designated as distressed or disadvantaged under the mapped criteria. The Census Tract Crosswalk is directly related to the information provided on maps titled: Justice40 & NYS Designated Disadvantaged Communities and 2021 U.S. DOC EDA Distress Criteria.